Mount Hope Bridge temporarily closing for resurfacing

BRISTOL, R.I. — Mount Hope Bridge temporarily closing for resurfacing.

The Mount Hope Bridge, a vital link between Bristol and Portsmouth, has closed for four days as crews complete long-overdue resurfacing work.

The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) says the full shutdown began Thursday, August 14 at 7 p.m. and will end Monday, August. 18 at 5 a.m., weather permitting.

During the closure, workers will remove the aging road surface and apply an ultra-thin bonded overlay designed to provide a smoother, safer ride and extend the bridge’s surface life by about five years.

RITBA says it has worked with both towns to coordinate detours and keep residents informed.

The resurfacing is part of a larger plan to eventually redeck the bridge, a major capital project that hasn’t been done since 1985.

While officials insist the bridge remains safe, they have declined to release the most recent inspection report, raising concerns among residents and commuters who depend on the nearly century-old span every day.

The Mount Hope Bridge, which opened in 1929, is set to receive a $17 million grant from the federal government to preserve the structure.

The funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s PROTECT program, will support a dehumidification system aimed at preventing corrosion in the bridge’s steel cables and anchorages. The goal is to significantly extend the lifespan of the nearly 100-year-old suspension bridge, which connects Bristol and Portsmouth.

The project is part of a broader effort to make Rhode Island’s infrastructure more resilient and climate-adapted. Officials say the work could help keep the bridge in service for another 50 to 75 years.